Spring cushions at Mini Magpie

Firstly, thank you all for your welcome back messages! It feels good to be blogging again and catching up with everyone.

Well I promised to show you what those pastel ribbons were for...

I've used them to trim the backs of some Spring cushions.

A major fabric tidy up and sort out in the autumn made me realise how many lovely vintage fabrics I had featuring baby animals. They get their own drawer in my cabinet! Laying them out together they are all very pastel coloured and Spring like.

I decided pastel stripes and coloured vintage wool would make nice contrasting backs.

So a batch of 5 have been run up for Mini Magpie at Poundbury.

Some used the final pieces of favourite fabrics I've had for years which is always a bit of a shame.

So that's enough of the backsides are you ready for the full frontals?

We have pink rabbits, lambs and ducks...

Beige calves, foals and bunnies

Lilac lambs, piglets and a frog

Cream mischievous ducklings

and yellow kittens, pugs and kids

 

So I think that pretty much covers every farm animal you can think of!

I've still a couple of other fabrics to cut and will be topping up my stock for a couple of Spring events (see my sidebar).

 I love them all. Which is your favourite?



Christmas toys to love

It seems everyone has a soft spot for an old toy. I've been saving a few up ready for Christmas at Custard Hall and enjoying their company in the meantime.

I've snapped them all and try and post new stock on my Facebook page or Instagram to give further afield vintage lovers a chance if anything takes their fancy.

The Little Red Dolly turned into a swap with The Vanilla Squirrel and you can see her at home here! I can't show you what I swapped her for yet as it's a birthday present for a certain little jammer in few weeks.

 This gorgeous pink monkey was a tough one to say goodbye to, but he's off on a journey as I type, to another bloggy home with Bobo Bun! I know he'll be well looked after there.

 I need a big space for this lovely Merrythought elephant pyjama case!

 Can never resist these peg dolls

 This little bun was snapped up straight away by one of the staff at Custard Hall and is on his way to America about now.

 
 

 And to finish I got into a bit of a monkey sharing thing on Instagram with Bobo Bun and The Vanilla Squirrel. I have to say Ms Squirrel wins hands down for the most amazing collection of old monkeys. She even has a monkey cupboard for them to live in. But here are my two...

Love them!



Etsy update

Just to let you know I've popped some new makes in my etsy shop

Let me introduce you to the Winter Bunnies

Similar to their cousins the blankety bunnies but more wintery!

They love to snuggle up against the alpine cushions

 and hey presto

they match the cushion back!

 

These lovely old Christmas postcards dated 1909 were the inspiration

for Christmas lavender pillows

All stuffed with 100% lavender and embellished with bells, bows and hand stamped tags

Naturally they are all backed with vintage fabrics

Well you wouldn't expect anything else would you?



 



Elsewhere things have been too quiet for my liking at Custard Hall so I've desperately been filling the shelves with all things festive and wintery

  

Whilst customer orders have helped keep me ticking along

Thank you to everyone who 'likes', 'shares', orders, pops into Custard Hall and helps keep this little bit of my life going!

For the love of tourists

July has flown by with very little time for making. Having not had time to even pop in Custard Hall for a couple of weeks I was delighted to find a whole list of sales waiting for me. The girls in the shop suggested I make something with a local theme for tourists to take home. I was a bit stumped and then after a bit of searching Ebay for old postcards of Dorset an idea came...

 

I bashed out these four prototypes one evening and only remembered to photograph them on the doorstep literally on the way out the next morning.

Instant sales meant I got cracking on another batch this week.

They are all backed in vintage fabrics

  and filled with 100% lavender

Edged with my favourite cute mini bobbles

 and embellished with a button or bow

and a handstamped tag!

So bring on the tourists, I'm off to the beach with my girls and a friend!

x

Spring cleaning the shop

Today I deChristmassed my stock at Custard Hall and looking through the sales book I realised this lucky lot all found new homes for Christmas. Even,you will note, grumpy panda! Panda was bought by a lady who had one as a child but her mother had removed the eyes??? Now she has one with eyes, if a little on the cross side.

 All that is, apart from PJ Puppy and Kangaroo who were sat on the shelf feeling a bit sorry for themselves!

Whilst all has been going brilliantly at Custard Hall I've somewhat neglected my unit at De Danann Antique Centre. This is where my beds are on display and will be a showroom for larger items. Yesterday it had a huge tidy and declutter and today I returned with polish and hoover in tow!

 I've got a bookcase and chest of drawers in the hallway just waiting for a makeover and then they will be heading here in the new year.

 You can view beds and the like at our website www.jelly-jam.co.uk



Pssst - Today's the day!!

Lots and lots of last minute making going on here this week. Sewing, painting, waxing, papering, mod podging... you name it I've done it.

Today is the launch of Custard Hall and I spent a few happy hours there last night pricing and prettifying.

This memo is made from original old cowboy fabric.

 Yet more lavender pillows from the vintage alpine fabric - it's eeking out well.

After Saturday's suitcase sales I had to cover another two to replenish. This time I've made a cowboy themed one

 

 and another with Ladybird children.

Topping up the cot full of cushions

 More utility china crates

 A stunning Mobo horse just ready to be found under the Christmas tree.

 

  I'll post some more photos tomorrow after the launch but this is what it was looking like at about 10pm last night! 

 

 

Time to catch up with a coffee and all your blogs now...